Fr. James Martin rebuked after urging Catholics to support LGBT Pride

NEW YORK, June 4, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) -- There’s no need for Catholics to shy way from gay pride month, according to Father James Martin, because the fundamental purpose of the events related to these celebrations is to allow LGBT people to be proud of who they are after years of persecution.

Martin’s tweets, coming early on the morning of June 2, follow a tweet from Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island, the preceding afternoon of June 1 about how Catholics should be wary of pride month events.

Bishop Tobin cautioned Catholics about pride month events – which are often marked by exceedingly lewd dress and behavior, including public sex acts, with children frequently present and exposed to sordid displays. His tweet specifically referenced the events related to pride month and pointed out, as the Catholic Church teaches, the immorality of an active homosexual lifestyle.

“Catholics should be very wary of events in the June LGBTQ month,” Bishop Tobin stated. “It’s not a fun-filled, family-friendly celebration of respect. It promotes a lifestyle and agenda that, in the extreme, is morally offensive.”

LGBT activists and others celebrate gay pride month each year in June to commemorate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots. The series of riots in New York City’s Greenwich Village happened after a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, an establishment frequented by members of the gay community. The riots launched the modern LGBT movement.

Father Martin, the editor-at-large for America magazine and a Vatican communications consultant defended gay pride month, skirted the substance of gay pride events, and suggested they were about respect for LGBT people.

Catholics need not be wary of June's #PrideMonth It’s a way for LGBT people to be proud that they are beloved children of God, they have families who love them as they are, and they have a right to be treated with "respect, compassion and sensitivity" after years of persecution.

One post appeared to qualify the subject of pride month events somewhat, but proceeded to challenge individuals who may not have friends identifying as LGBT.

Not every #PrideMonth event will be to everyone's taste, but the underlying point--LGBT people should be proud of who they are, after centuries of persecution and violence--is important. If you have #LGBT friends, tell them you love them. If you have none, ask yourself why not.

How can Catholics join in? By loving their LGBT brothers, sisters and siblings. By listening to their struggles and challenges. By reminding them that they are beloved children of God. And by celebrating their presence in our world. Be proud to love them! #PrideMonth#Pride2018

The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual attraction is not a sin, but homosexual activity is, and that while individuals experiencing same-sex attraction are to be treated with respect and compassion, they, like everyone, are called to be chaste.

One advocate for people with same-sex attraction endeavoring to live chastely told LifeSiteNews that peace does not come with an active LGBT lifestyle, rather only through Christ.

“James Martin is correct,” George Carneal said. “LGBT individuals should be treated with ‘respect, compassion and sensitivity.’ However, while God loves everyone, ‘children of God’ are those who have accepted Christ as their Savior.”

“You cannot bypass Jesus to get to God,” Carneal added. “God would not give me peace with the lies of the ‘Christian’ liberal theology and LGBT narrative.”

“I spent 25 miserable years in the LGBT lifestyle,” continued the speaker and author of “From Queer to Christ.” “I finally decided to listen to God, not any religious leader promoting something that was keeping me in bondage and in rebellion against God’s Word.”

“Celibacy is an option and LGBT individuals need to know there is hope in getting out of that life,” he said. “Give your life to Christ and find real joy and peace!”

Another ex-gay and advocate for chaste same-sex attracted Christians also rejected the idea inferred in Martin’s tweets that pride events convey dignity for same-sex-attracted people as children of God.

“If he believes pride month is tied to religious expression and a relationship with God, he is describing a different pride event than what I've participated in or know them to be,” Daren Mehl told LifeSiteNews.

“Every human is loved by God, true,” Mehl said. “But Martin is falling short of the whole truth of pride.”

Christ calls us to sanctification through mortifying our fleshly desires by his grace, he said, but “every pride event I've been to made it very clear all desires should be encouraged regardless if they fall into the category of sin or not.”

However, he said, “I disagree with Martin that displaying yourself half-naked grinding with another human imitating sinful sexual acts is dignified.”

“And while I -- "little r" -- respect their right to do so, I have compassion for their eternity which is at risk,” Mehl said. “In love, we should be sensitive to all people, and in doing so share Jesus and disciple willing people to live how Jesus commands.”

“Lusting after your fellow man is not a Christian behavior, yet a large part of pride events demonstrate that they morally accept that behavior,” Mehl said. “I've never seen half-naked men grinding on a pride float and imitating sex acts getting boos from the audience.”

Mehl told LifeSiteNews that he believes the men he has seen at pride events are called to better life with Christ.

“I believe the dignity of their title of ‘Children of God,’ as Martin puts it, is not on display for all to see. I do not see Jesus being lifted up at pride,” he said. “I do not see God being glorified at pride. I see men and sexuality and sexual behaviors and pride being glorified. I see ‘Do as thou will’ being glorified.”